Triumph Tiger 110 649 cc

Its great to read all of your exsperiances with this old bike.

My father always talked fondley of his memories of his 110 tiger back in the early sixities and I also have some great photos.

I wondered if any of you may have any ideas of my fathers old bike as according to the DVLA it is still around. It is a 1959 tiger 110 Registration PDR 218. Please email any info or memories you may have to me

at [email protected] Many Thanks Steve

I ride a T110.

37 years ago, I rode into Eugene, Oregon on a '69 Bonny in early summer of 1977. I ran into a cabbie who lived over the garage at his girl friend's mother's house. He was building the T110. The motor had been built by Jim Robb in Springfield, and was waiting for payment to be picked up. The rest of it was in boxes. I traded him my title for his bill of sale. He raced a couple of Sportsters with my Bonny and won the money to get the motor paid for. I spent the rest of the summer in Gerry Jones' garage putting all the parts together.

Years later I'm still riding that old motor. It has been through two marriages and raising children as well. I ride it most every day and have for the past 30-some years. I have replaced the rings 3 times, replaced one piston (10:1)and both top rod bearings, done the valves twice (big valves - T110 iron head). I think the problems with the valves were caused by the inadequacy of stock oil pump - I changed to Morgo rotary 10 years ago. Still running the same bottom end. I have over 100,000 miles on this rig. I still run it down to a family farm 300 miles away at least once or twice a year. Ride it winter (with fairing) and summer, spring and fall.

Though some may think it heretical, I also converted the primary to a Bob Newby Racing unit, and replaced the voltage regulator with a solid state Podtronics unit. But you know what? My lights work whenever I turn them on.

The old mag needed a modern armature 15 years ago and I had a hell of a time tracing a carbon track around the pick-up ring one year. It's been to Laconia for the rally and been broke beside the road in Hazard, Kentuckey -where the road ends - but through thick and thin, it's always got me home.

OK, I've put more time and worry into this old motor than any sane person would, but I have never tired of riding it. I look forward to every outing and never miss a chance to get in the wind. Some day I'll come to my senses!

I bought my t110 in 1962. It was the 59 model, in my opinion the best incarnation of all. It had the alloy cylinder head, full width front brake and the new chrome tank badge, coupled with the new livery of silver and black paint it was a joy to behold.

The performance was second to none, 3 of my friends had BSA road rockets and they could not get near the acceleration of the triumph. I also out accelerated a couple of bonnevilles which quite surprised me at the time.

Something I found quite useful was the "slickshift" gear change, this device pushed in the clutch when you pressed the gear lever and released it when you let go, so you could change gear without the clutch lever. At a push you could get the bike home if the clutch cable failed.

The wobbly frame the only downside of the bike.

Bought my Triumph Tiger 110 1960 number SUO but forget the rest. I was in the signals and based at Blandfod camp and lived at Mere, rode it to camp every day. Lovely ride, wish i still had it i'm 76 now.

Bought my Triumph Tiger 110 649 cc in 1959,stripped completely and rebuilt with race cams and high compression pistons ,put engine together very carefuly and she went like a rocket ,nothing could keep up or pass,wore out a few clutch corks in the process,used to regularly pee off a friend who had one of the latest Bonnys,enjoyed the bike a lot ,very reliable and nice to ride,as long as you kept the throttle open on bends all you got was a bit of a wiggle,happy days,I'm 65 now and own a Rover 100 P4,more nostalgia,.i wish I had known the previous owner had reringed the engine but had forgotten to gap them,they all broke on my first fast run.

The Triumph Tiger 110 649 cc single carb gave good fuel economy, easy to maintain by owner-rider. Known as the single carb 'bonnie' later models had a cradle frame which greatly improved the handling. In the 60's they were often refured to as the 'instant whip' after a food prodict of the same name, due to the fact the single downtube frame used to flex when cornering. T110's could just about out perform a BSA Road Rocket in a straight line but lost it round bends, there was a lot of banter between Triump & BSA riders, but the truth is the Triumph had the better motor & BSA had the frame & cycle parts, those days were the last when British bikes showed the world how to do it, the technology did't move with the times & we sadly got left behind, it was great while it lasted though.

my dad had a tiger 110..when in 1965..i was about 12yrs...it would gleam !!!!!!!! salvol autosol....cases ...you could see your face in them.....wow....he was ex welsh guards...spit and polish.... he kept it in small shed..with asbestoss low roof ??? i kicked it up one day with a straight leg..it kicked back and pushed my head thru the roof ...my dad cried laughing...( i do when i think about it now,,,,,dads been gone 7yrs.....but when i see or here about tiger 110s i think of him,,and that day, all those yrs ago....i.ve had lots of bikes since..most trumpies ( as dad called them ) now i.ve got a zed rex 1100...very nice tool...be good all u bikers out there.....happy 2009...gareth....cardiff.....

I find my 1959 Triumph T110 a beautiful bike to ride and brings back many memories when I brought my first Triumph in 1957.

The Triumph Tiger 110 649 cc has good look's and is Reliable, great colours and comfortable to ride not like the newer bike that you have to lay on the fuel tank. I just like the look and the riding position of the older bikes.

Had 2x 110s at different times. 1st, swapped a running James Captain 197cc in good condition for a crashed basket case 1957 T110 at Billy Briggs bike shop Salford. Put that together & ran it - but as a schoolboy not exactly affordable. Very quick machine. Swapped it for a Triumph Sports Cub that was affordable.

2nd machine was a 1959 T110 - bought from a friend. Done up to include - Clip ons, rear swept pipes, Bonneville style headlight, 10.5:1 pistons, E3134 cams & racing followers, splayed head for twin carbs. Very very quick machine, saw 115 mph on speedo on M6 (pre-speed limit days!) - bike stolen same day & written off - but thats another story! The only machine that could outrun it as a Vincent 1000 & the one I tried against had an oil leak - & I was covered in oil from trying to catch up with it. Thought I had an e-type Jag in my sights in '65 from a standing start at traffic lights - until, as I changed gear at 60mph in 1st, it just took off & left me & the tuned T110 for dead! Excellent bike - but sadly stolen & written off by culprit - who'd only ever ridden a 125cc BSA Bantam before. Didn't own another bike for 20 years - until I bought a 1966 650cc Bonneville. Still running a 900cc Triumph Adventurer. Nice machine.